Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported slight upticks in revenue and profit in its first quarter, but the retail behemoth still missed Wall Street's expectations and watched its stock suffer in morning trading. The Bentonville, Ark., mega-chain blamed higher payroll taxes, delayed income tax refunds and bitter weather for less-than-stellar performance in the quarter ended April 30. Wal-Mart customer tend to be especially sensitive to such changes -- which Wal-Mart Chief Executive Mike Duke in a statement called “considerable headwinds to top-line sales.” While on a conference call with analysts, he even mentioned that the company had experienced the “latest snowfall in the history of Arkansas reporting” at its headquarters during the period.

We're told by the "Leap Year" production notes that writers Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont are "well-known as Hollywood 'script doctors.' " Yikes. Is there a doctor for the doctors in the house? Mid-January and already there's another romantic comedy that makes you weep for the genre. Honestly. After "P.S. I Love You," "27 Dresses," "Bride Wars" and "The Ugly Truth," Beatrice and Benedick from "Much Ado About Nothing" are going to step right out of the first folio edition of Shakespeare's play and go on a revenge killing spree.

Sales at McDonald's restaurants slipped 1.5% last month, but not because of global economic difficulties or fast-casual competition. The fast food behemoth attributed the slide to the difficulty of comparing February's performance against the same month in 2012, which had an extra day due to the leap year. Factoring out the calendar quirk, the Oak Brook, Ill., company said its worldwide same-store sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 1.7%. Same deal with its U.S. sales, which dipped 3.3%.

The deeply unsettling, psychologically acute "Leap Year" (Ano Bisiesto) won writer-director Michael Rowe, an Australian living in Mexico, Cannes' Camera d'Or prize for best first feature. Lowe and his co-writer Lucia Carreras wisely take their time establishing the character of Laura (Monica Del Carmen), a freelance journalist living and working in a Mexico City apartment. Laura is dark-skinned, pretty and desperately lonely; the sight of the uninhibited young couple across the way fills her with longing.

If you haven't made leap year plans (and really, who has?), Marriott is hoping to lure you to one of its Florida hotels in Orlando or Miami. The incentive? Two companion airfares to anywhere in the continental U.S. with a two-night stay that includes "leap day" Feb. 29. The deal: This offer is an extension of Marriott's Stay Here, Fly There deal . It requires staying Feb. 28 and 29 at one of five hotels: Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami; Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina in Stuart; and JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes , Orlando World Center Marriott ; or Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld . The two-night stay comes with a $100 resort credit and two free companion airline ticket vouchers for flights within the continental U.S. (You pay for one ticket and companion fare is included.)

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details. Leap year is serving up its bonus day today, Feb. 29, 2012. Known as leap day, Feb. 29 is an added day that seems to magically show up on the calendar every four years. You might be wondering, what is leap year and leap day, and why do we mess with the calendar? We called the super-smart folks over at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for some answers. (Feel free to crib from it and play the know-it-all when talking to friends today.)

Sales at McDonald's restaurants slipped 1.5% last month, but not because of global economic difficulties or fast-casual competition. The fast food behemoth attributed the slide to the difficulty of comparing February's performance against the same month in 2012, which had an extra day due to the leap year. Factoring out the calendar quirk, the Oak Brook, Ill., company said its worldwide same-store sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 1.7%. Same deal with its U.S. sales, which dipped 3.3%.

Janet Cunningham, a leap year baby in 1960, gave birth to a daughter exactly 28 years later. Erin Michelle Cunningham was born Monday, two days ahead of doctors' expectations. "I never expected it," said Cunningham, who lives in Severna Park. "It's not something you plan."

Like the Olympics and presidential elections, leap year comes every four years, offering babies born on Feb. 29 and couples married on that day a quadrennial chance to celebrate. Hospitals nationwide will welcome about 9,000 newborns Saturday, and Orange County parents are bracing for a few of them. There were 107 children born in Orange County last leap year day (the odds against being born on Feb. 29 are 1,461 to 1; the odds are 365 to 1 on any day in a normal year).

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details. Leap year is serving up its bonus day today, Feb. 29, 2012. Known as leap day, Feb. 29 is an added day that seems to magically show up on the calendar every four years. You might be wondering, what is leap year and leap day, and why do we mess with the calendar? We called the super-smart folks over at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for some answers. (Feel free to crib from it and play the know-it-all when talking to friends today.)

I'm not sure if "leapling" is really a word, but if you are one - someone born on leap day -- you may stay free at Mammoth Mountain ski resort on Feb. 29. There's finally snow, too (about a foot from a recent storm, as of Tuesday) at the resort that got off to a snowless start in December and January. The deal: Leap Year Babies Stay Free offers a choice of one free night (with a second person) at Juniper Springs Resort, the Village Lodge, Tamarack Lodge or Mammoth Mountain Inn on their birthday.

If you haven't made leap year plans (and really, who has?), Marriott is hoping to lure you to one of its Florida hotels in Orlando or Miami. The incentive? Two companion airfares to anywhere in the continental U.S. with a two-night stay that includes "leap day" Feb. 29. The deal: This offer is an extension of Marriott's Stay Here, Fly There deal . It requires staying Feb. 28 and 29 at one of five hotels: Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami; Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina in Stuart; and JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes , Orlando World Center Marriott ; or Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld . The two-night stay comes with a $100 resort credit and two free companion airline ticket vouchers for flights within the continental U.S. (You pay for one ticket and companion fare is included.)

The deeply unsettling, psychologically acute "Leap Year" (Ano Bisiesto) won writer-director Michael Rowe, an Australian living in Mexico, Cannes' Camera d'Or prize for best first feature. Lowe and his co-writer Lucia Carreras wisely take their time establishing the character of Laura (Monica Del Carmen), a freelance journalist living and working in a Mexico City apartment. Laura is dark-skinned, pretty and desperately lonely; the sight of the uninhibited young couple across the way fills her with longing.

"Avatar" has become a must-see movie, especially in 3-D. Coming off a phenomenal holiday period that saw the James Cameron-directed blockbuster sell more than $1 billion worth of tickets worldwide in less than three weeks, "Avatar" experienced the smallest decline of any picture playing nationwide this weekend, signaling that it will run well into the winter. Among three new movies, Lionsgate's vampire flick "Daybreakers" started well, while Universal Pictures' romantic comedy "Leap Year" opened soft and "Youth in Revolt" was another disappointment for Weinstein Co. Domestic ticket sales for "Avatar" were $48.5 million from Friday through Sunday, according to an estimate from distributor 20th Century Fox, down just 29% from the previous weekend.

A smorgasbord of notes, quotes and opinions from across the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities: A month into college, former Grant High basketball player Gilbert Arenas already has made a positive impression at Arizona. Besides dunking repeatedly in pickup games at McKale Center, Arenas ran a mile with other Arizona players and won by half a lap. "He actually slowed down," assistant coach Jay John said. "It was quite impressive."

Insurance executives may wince twice when they hear a fender-bender or drive by a burning home on Monday. Auto and home insurance premiums typically are paid by the year. But 1988 is leap year and that means an extra day in February, thus another day of claims for smashed windows, stolen radios, dented side panels, crumpled hoods and for charred houses. Leap year will cost Woodland Hills-based 20th Century about $1.5 million, Vice President Rick Dinon said.

We're told by the "Leap Year" production notes that writers Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont are "well-known as Hollywood 'script doctors.' " Yikes. Is there a doctor for the doctors in the house? Mid-January and already there's another romantic comedy that makes you weep for the genre. Honestly. After "P.S. I Love You," "27 Dresses," "Bride Wars" and "The Ugly Truth," Beatrice and Benedick from "Much Ado About Nothing" are going to step right out of the first folio edition of Shakespeare's play and go on a revenge killing spree.

"Bitch Slap" Three bad girls attempt to extort and steal valuable diamonds from a ruthless underworld kingpin. "Daybreakers" Humans have become an endangered species, hunted and forced into hiding by vampires. "Leap Year" A woman follows her boyfriend to Ireland to ask him to marry her, but complications arise when she meets a surly Irishman. "Wonderful World" A folk-singing, compulsive marijuana-smoking dad's negative world views are confirmed when his roommate falls ill. "Youth in Revolt" A 14-year-old pursues the girl of his dreams.